Review of Jennifer Manoukian’s ‘Purist Pursuits’
In contemporary Armenian discourse, few topics evoke as much raw emotion, deep-seated anxiety, and rigid gatekeeping as the state of the ‘mother tongue.’ For generations, speakers and learners of (Western) Armenian have been instructed to treat their language as a sacred relic—a treasure to be admired and kept pristine behind glass in a museum rather than a living, breathing tool to be used. Where did this uncompromising obsession with linguistic ‘purity’ originate? Why do so many diaspora Armenians carry a persistent guilt over using Turkish, Arabic, or French loanwords in daily conversation, constantly apologizing for speech that fails to live up to an impossibly formal standard?
In her groundbreaking monograph, Purist Pursuits: Language, Global Ideas, and the Creation of Western Armenian in the Ottoman Empire, historian and literary translator Jennifer Manoukian delivers an essential, long-overdue autopsy of these very anxieties. Across 300+ meticulously researched pages, Manoukian breaks down popular myths about Western Armenian, offering a rich social history that shows how a modern language was shaped, debated, and turned into something sacred.
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While reading this critically important book, I congratulated the author on her brilliant study. By chance she and her husband lived nearby, so we were able to meet for dinner in person. It’s an extraordinary study by such a young scholar, with wide ranging sources, particularly Armenian language studies. There has been nothing like it in English, or probably any western language. It should definitely be translated into Armenian, hopefully in the near future. I look forward to her future works, which I am certain shall merit the same meticulous scholarship. I’m certain that her graduate training at UCLA in Armenian language played a central role in her training, having experienced similar preparation in Armenian Studies at UCLA 55 years ago!
I heard Jennifer Manougian on February 26, 2025, in a webinar organized by Dr. Herand Markarian on behalf of NY Hamazkayin Chapter. The subject was “How Western Armenian came about.” She talked about her upcoming book. I found her exhaustive study revealing and fascinating. Languages evolve. So, the book is out. I intend to purchase a copy to read.